The Torment
Erin O.
Charcoal, Oil Pastel, Colored Pencil
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Michelangelo’s “The Torment of St. Anthony” inspired this diptych. One the left, I turned from the sky to the ocean, a shark supplanting the saint to center animals while discussing environmental degredation. Replacing circling demons, I depicted harmful anthropogenic objects and practices. However, the diver personifying human involvement is ignorant, not malicious. Her fingers mimic those of children at aquarium touch pools. Like most people, she is oblivious to her harm. Blue and red, high-contrast colors, draw attention. The right continues the narrative. The girls appear smaller than seagulls as humans are only one species among many. Despite this, we have left our mark. Colored pencils emulate wet sand’s granular texture and negative space implies dry sand. This blinding white emptiness represents human isolation from nature as the girls ignore their surroundings. Back to the viewer, one is a vessel for viewers to confront their complicity in the climate crisis.
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To me, visual art is an indispensable method of self-expression and storytelling. Art is far more than aesthetic. Art is a creative outlet for my exploration of emotions, identity, and values, and is a method of communicating with viewers. Through creativity, I can process confusing or unattractive feelings and emotions.
